Rick Santorum Wins Big in GOP Louisiana Primary

Rick Santorum Wins GOP Louisiana Primary

The GOP Louisiana primary race has been called by CNN  for Rick Santorum. With 23% of the precincts reporting, Santorum has an overwhelming lead at 47% with Mitt Romney a distance second with 27%, followed by Gingrich with 18% and Paul with 6%. The end result, Santorum wins another Southern state.

Rick Santorum will win Saturday’s Republican presidential primary in Louisiana by winning close to majority of the vote, according to early results and exit polling,

Santorum’s win was his fourth in the South, where front-runner Mitt Romney has not been able to connect with conservative voters in the region.

Winning Louisiana big will help fuel Santorum’s campaign as the conservative alternative to Romney.

UPDATE I: The final tally in the Louisiana primaries was a resounding 22 point victory for Rick Santorum:  Santorum 49% and Romney 27%. The focus now shifts to Wisconsin where Rasmussen has Romney up double digits over Santorum.

“People in Louisiana came through in a big way,” Santorum said from a brewery in Green Bay, Wisc. “You didn’t get the memo. We’re still fighting. … I’m not running as the conservative candidate for president. I am the conservative candidate.”

Santorum said Romney called to congratulate him.

“I told him I was in (Wisconsin.) He said he was out in California raising money,” Santorum said. “I said leave a little bit for me. … We’ve always had cordial conversations.”